Safety striking plate for door locks



- 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 6, 1955 PETROCHKO I I, V

INVENTOR.

I fllrhu Nov. 27, 1956 J. PETROCHKO 2,772,110

7 SAFETY STRIKING PLATE FOR DOOR LOCKS' Filed Jan. 6, 1955' 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 @547 //A 7 f 52 F l 60 55 64 I 5 i '7 5 g r Nov, 27, 1956 J. PETROCHKO SAFETY STRIKING PLATE FOR DOOR LOCKS 5 SheetsSheet 4 Filed Jan. 6, 1955 INVENTOR. JOHN PETROCHKO 7 Armv/vzy Nov. 27, 1956 J. PETROCHKO STRIKING PLATE FOR DOOR LOCKS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEN TOR. PETROCHKO JOHN Filed Jan. 6. 1955 United States Patent D SAFETY STRIKING PLATE FOR DOOR LOCKS John Petrochko, Glendale, N. Y.

Application January 6, 1955, Serial No. 480,251

6 Claims. (Cl. 292--341.17)

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in lock or latch strikes or striker plates.

More particularly, the present invention proposes the construction of an improved safety strking plate for refrigerator and other doors which can easily and conveniently be mounted on a door jamb and which will permit a refrigerator or other door to be opened simply and quickly from the inside by children or anyone else caught inside the structure containing the door.

As a further object, the present invention proposes forming the new safety striking plate with a pivotable keeper member having a latch recess therein and with means normally to hold the keeper member from pivoting so that a handle latch can be seated in the latch recess in the usual manner.

Still further, the present invention proposes constructing the safety striking plate with a slidable bolt and the keeper member with a socket removably to seat the bolt and prevent the keeper member from pivoting.

Another object of the present invention proposes forming the safety striking plate with a bolt housing adapted to be disposed inside a door jamb and shaped so that a person can easily find the bolt by touch in the dark.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front outside view of a refrigerator or other door and door jamb with a handle and a safety striking plate constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the door jamb and safety striking plate shown in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of lines 22.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary inside back view of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the bolt member retracted.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the door partly opened from the inside and the keeper member in pivoted position.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modification of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 7 with the retracted position of the bolt member shown in dot-dash outline.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating another modification of the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a side view taken on line 10-10 of the door jamb and striking plate structure shown in Fig. 9, with parts broken away and shown in section.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 10. I Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a safety striking plate illustrating still another modification of the present invention.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 13-13 of Fig. 12 but with the parts in a slightly different position.

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken on line 14-14 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken on line 1515 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary side view of the structure.

The safety striking plate, in accordance with the first form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, is generally designated by the reference numeral 15 and is shown as mounted in a door jamb 16 of a refrigerator door 17 having a door handle 18 and a latch 19. The door handle 18 is of the common type generally found on household or any other refrigerators which retracts the latch 19 by pushing or pulling on the handle. The door handle and latch are mounted on a handle plate 20 which is secured to the door 17 by screws or bolts 21. This handle structure is conventional and forms no part of the present invention.

Safety striking plate 15 has a casing 22 with a rear portion 23 which is mounted on the front face 24 of door jamb 16 as by welding or by mounting bracket 25 and screws or bolts 26. Casing 22 has a keeper member chamber 27 in one front corner adjacent its door and handle facing side 28.

Pivotally mounted in the chamber 27 on an axial pin 29 is a cylindrical keeper member 30. The keeper member 30 has a latch seating recess 31 radially disposed and adapted to receive the latch 19 in the usual manner. In addition, the keeper member 30 has a socket or bolt member opening 32 radially disposed and spaced ninety degrees from the latch seating recess 31 so that when the latch seating recess is disposed on the side 28 of the casing 22, the socket 32 is disposed toward the rear portion 23 of the casing.

Casing 22 has a bolt passage opening 33 extending through its rear portion 23 and aligned with the socket 32 and door jamb 16 has a similar opening 16.

A bolt member 35 slidably and pivotally extends through the bolt passage opening 33 in the rear portion 23 of casing 22 and through the tube opening 34 so that the rear end 36 of the bolt member is inside the door jamb and the front end 37 of the bolt member is adapted removably to seat in the socket 32 of the keeper member to prevent the keeper member from pivoting.

Means to lock the bolt member 35 in the socket 32 from inside the door jamb is provided as follows. A bolt housing 38 is mounted on the inner face 39 of the door jamb 16 as by screws 40. The housing 38 is barrel-shaped with an open end 41. A threaded sleeve on handle cap 42 is secured to the bolt member 35 and mounted on an externally threaded tube or hold-member 43 in the housing 38 and both the sleeve 42 and member 43 slidably pass the bolt member 35. A nut 43 and lock washer 43 are provided on the threaded member 43 to abut the inner face 39 of door jamb 16 and a like nut 43" and lock washer 43 are provided on the threaded member 43 to abut the front face 24 of the door jamb 16 to hold the threaded member 43 horizontally disposed in the door jamb. A threaded plug member 44 is fixed to the bolt member 35 adjacent its rear end 36. The plug member 44 is adapted to screw into and out of the threaded sleeve 42 to lock the bolt members front end 37 in the socket 32 and prevent the keeper member from turning. Bolt member 35 has a cross bar handle 45 at its rear end 36 adjacent the plug member 44 and adapted to fit inside the bolt housing 38 so as easily to be found by touch in the dark. The bolt member handle Patented Nov. 27, 1956v 45 may also be painted with luminous paint or provided with a low wattage light to make its discovery easier.

The forward or front end of the threaded hollow member 43 is disposed in an annular. member 46 held in the casing 22 by a bolt 22 with a lock washer 22*". An Allen screw 47 looks the member 46 to the member 43.

The cylindrical keeper member 30 is secured by "shaft 29 to the annular sliding member 46; The sliding member. 46 is engaged on the threaded end of the tube 43 and is locked or secured with Allen screw 47. The tube 43 may be adjusted with nut 43" and lock washers 43 to the desired location. After'the tube assembly is placed through the door jamb 16 the bolt housing 38 is engaged over'the'tube 43 and secured with bolts 40,'then the washer 43 and nut 43 are used to tighten the assembly to the'door jamb 16. Then the cylindrical keeper 30 is adjusted until the tube opening 34 of the tube 43 is in alignment with bolt member 35, and then the bolt 35 is placed through tube opening 34. Finally the cap 42 is secured to the tube 43 and handle 45 is secured on the threads 44 at the end of 'bolt member35.

The operation of the new safety striking plate is simple. When the bolt member 35 is seated in the socket 32, the plate '15 functions like any conventional plate with the latch seating recess 31 of the keeper member 30 disposed so as to receive the latch 19 and hold it until the door handle is operated again, the door handle being operated only from outside the door 17 in the usual manner. However, when any one is caught insidethe closed door 17, the door can be opened from the inside merely by withdrawing the bolt member from the socket and pushing on the inner side of the door. The keeper member will pivotas indicated in Figs. and 6 to permit this.

The modification of the present invention illustrated in Figs, 7 and 8 is characterized by the provision of a casing 48 having a rear portion 49 which extend through an opening 50 in door jamb 51, the casing 48 being secured to the door jamb as by welding or other wellknown fastening means. Casing 48 has keeper member chamber 52 at one front corner and a cylindrical keeper member 53 is axially mounted in the chamber 52 by a pin 54. The keeper member has a latch seating recess 55 adapted to seat latch 56 of door handle 57, which door handle is mounted on door 58.

Keeper member 53 also has a socket or bolt member opening 59 radially disposed at a right angle to the latch seating recess 55 and casing 48 contains a bolt member passing opening 60 slidably to receive a bolt member 61.

Bolt member 61 has a front end 62 adapted to seat in the socket 59 and prevent the keeper member from turning. The bolt member 61 also has a rear end 62' adjacent with which is secured a handle 63 which extends through aside opening 64 in casing 48 disposed behind the inside face 65 of the door jamb 51.

The modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 9, l0 and 11 is characterized by the provision of a safety striking plate 70 mounted on a door jamb 71 of a door 72 having a conventional handle or door knob 73 with a latch 74.

Striking plate 70 has a casing 75 adapted to extend through or into a striking'plate opening 76 in the door jamb 71 and to be mounted on the door jamb by screws 77. Casing 75 has a keeper member chamber 78 and a cylindrical keeper member 79 is pivotally and axially mounted in the chamber at the front end of the casing.

Keeper member 79 has a latch seating recess 80 to seat the latch 74 and a bolt member opening or socket 81 spaced ninety degrees from the recess 80. A bolt member 82 is slidably mounted in the casing 75. The bolt member has a front end 83 adapted removably to seat in the socket 81 and a rear end 84 disposed behind the door jamb and behind the rear end 85 of casing 75.

Casing 75 also contains a spring chamber 85' in which is mounted a coil spring 86 encircling the bolt member 82 and abutting a fixed abutment 87 on the bolt member to bias the bolt member continuously into the socket seating position indicated in Fig. 10. A handle 88 is fixed to the rear end of the bolt member.

The modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 12 to 16, inclusive, is characterized by the provision of a safety striking plate 90 having a casing 91 with a rear plate 92 and a front portion 93. The casing 91- also contains a keeper shifter member 93' with a keeper member cavity 94 and is disposed in one corner of the front portion 93. A keeper member 95 is pivotally mounted in the cavity 94 by a pin 96. I v

Keeper member 95 has a latch seating recess 97 and a bolt member opening or-socket 98 spaced from the recess 97. In addition a latch striker roller 99 is rotatably mounted on the keeper member by pin 100 adjacent the latch seating recess 97. A hollow tube 101 has one end 102 secured to the casing 91 and the other end 103 adapted to be disposed inside a structure such as a refrigerator or the like A bolt member 104 is slidably and pivotally mounted in the tube 101 and has one end 105 adapted removably to seat in the socket 98 to prevent the keeper member95 from turning. The other end106 of the bolt member extends out of the tube 101 and contains a handle 107. A cap 108 fits over the free end 103 of the tube 101 and around the bolt member 104. A spring 109 in the tube 101 and around the bolt member 104 provides means constantly to bias the bolt member into socket seating position. Locking means such as a threaded plug 110 on the bolt member 104 and a threaded section in the rear portion of the tube 101 may be provided to hold the bolt member in retracted position.

Slot openings 112 are provided in the casing 91 and bolts 113 with washers 114 extend through these slot openings to the shifter member 93' to limit or fix the shifter member 93' as desired. Tube.101 has exteriorly threaded portions 115 and 116 for nuts and lock washers 117 and 118. An Allen screw 120 is adapted to lock the threaded shifter member 93 to thehollow tube 101. The shifter member 93f is provided with spaced holes 121 and 122 for the bolts 113 to secure shifter member 93' to casing 91.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may 7 be made within the scope of the invention as defined in mounted in the casing, said keeper member having a.

latch seating recess and a socket spacedfrom said recess, and a bolt member slidably extending through said rear portion of the casing and adapted removably, to seat in the socket to prevent thekeeper member. from pivoting,

means to lock said bolt member in the socket, said means A being a bolt housing adapted to be fixed to the inner face of a door jamb, a threaded sleeve slidably passing said bolt member and connected to the bolt housing, and a threaded plug member fixed to the bolt member and adapted to screw into and out of said threaded sleeve.

2. A safety striking plate for refrigerator and other doors comprising a casing havingv a rear portion adapted for mounting on a door jamb, a keeper member pivotally mounted in the casing, said keeper member having a latch seating recess and a socket spaced from saidrecess, a bolt member slidably extending through said-rear portion of the casing "and adapted removablyrto seat in the socket to prevent the keeper member from pivoting,

and resilient means to bias said bolt member in socket seating position, said resilient means being a spring, a hollow tube secured at one end to the bolt casing, and a cap removably secured to the other end of the tube, said spring being disposed inside the tube and around the bolt member.

3. A safety striking plate for refrigerator and other doors comprising a casing having a rear portion adapted for mounting on a door jamb, a keeper member pivotally mounted in the casing, said keeper member having a latch seating recess and a socket spaced from said recess, a bolt member slidably extending through said rear portion of the :casing and adapted removably to seat in the socket to prevent the keeper member from pivoting, and resilient means to bias said bolt member in socket seating position, said resilient means being a spring, a hollow tube secured at one end to the bolt casing, a cap removably secured to the other end of the tube, said spring being disposed inside the tube and around the bolt member, and a latch striker roller rotatably mounted on the keeper member adjacent the latch seating recess and spaced from the socket.

4. A safety striking plate for refrigerator and other doors comprising a casing having a rear portion adapted for mounting on a door jamb, a keeper member pivotally mounted in the casing, said keeper member having a latch seating recess and a socket spaced from said recess, a bolt member slidably extending through said rear portion of the casing and adapted removably to seat in the socket to prevent the keeper member from pivoting, and resilient means to bias said bolt member in socket seating position, said resilient means being a spring, a hollow tube secured at one end to the bolt casing, a cap removably secured to the other end of the tube, said spring being disposed inside the tube and around the bolt member, and means on the bolt member and in the tube removably to hold the bolt member retracted from the socket.

5. A safety striking plate for refrigerator and other doors comprising a casing having a rear portion adapted for mounting on a door jamb, a keeper member pivotally mounted in the casing, said keeper member having a latch seating recess and a socket spaced from said recess, a bolt member slida bly extending through said rear portion of the casing and adapted removably to seat in the socket to prevent the keeper member from pivoting,

and resilient means to bias said bolt member in socket seating position, said resilient means being a spring, a hollow tube secured at one end to the bolt casing, a cap removably secured to the other end of the tube, said spring being disposed inside the tube and around the bolt member, a latch striker roller rotatably mounted on the keeper member adjacent the latch seating recess and spaced from the socket, and means on the bolt member and in the tube removably to hold the bolt member retracted from the socket.

6. A safety striking plate for refrigerator and other doors comprising -a casing having a rear portion adapted for mounting on a door jamb, a keeper member pivotally mounted in the casing, said keeper member having a latch seating recess and a socket spaced from said recess, a bolt member slidably extending through said rear portion of the casing and adapted removably to seat in the socket to prevent the keeper member from pivoting, and resilient means to bias said bolt member in socket seating position, said resilient means being a spring, a hollow tube secured at one end to the bolt casing, a cap removably secured to the other end of the tube, said spring being disposed inside the tube and around the bolt member, a latch striker roller rotatably mounted on the keeper member adjacent the latch seating recess and spaced from the socket, and means on the bolt member and in the tube removably to hold the bolt member retracted from the socket, a shifter member slidably mounted in the casing, said keeper member being pivotally mounted in said shifter member and means to lock the shifter member in one of a plurality of desired positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 27,854 Worthen Apr. 10, 1860 512,593 Webster et al. Jan. 9, 1894 837,501 Plinos Dec. 4, 1906 2,029,901 Voight Feb. 4, 1936 2,146,379 Rediger Feb. 7, 1939 2,461,426 King Feb. 8, 1949 2,473,205 Iazwieck June =14, 1949 2,618,498 Schlesser Nov. 18, 1952 2,636,767 Groeger Apr. 28, 1953 

